by Miranda Miller
Contributor
Grammy award-winning artists, The Stone Temple Pilots (STP), performed two hours late last night at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre and cancelled their show in Lethbridge scheduled for Tuesday. Abbotsford was one of the venues on the band’s Greatest Hits Tour, with an estimated 3,000 fans coming out to hear music they had grown up with.
The crowd ranged from young adults to middle-aged, and most people were sporting their STP T-shirts.
The night kicked off with an afternoon pre-show, Party on the Plaza, including music performed by Canadian rock group Celestial Ruin, who produced hard-hitting rock rhythms for two hours before the doors opened.
New American rock band, Crash Kings opened , playing for just under an hour to an appreciative crowd, who waited with much anticipation for the main act.
However, they were left to stare at the band's 2010 album cover which hung behind the stage. By the time 10:30 rolled around, there was no word of the band, and Twitter was fuming. There were tweets claiming that the Pilots were not even in the building. Fans started getting restless and the arena erupted many times with booing. There was no live entertainment for almost two hours, proving to be too long of a wait for many fans on a Monday night, with some leaving disappointed and wanting refunds.
There was no explanation of what delayed the performance.
Just past 11 p.m. The Stone Temple Pilots finally came on stage, greeted by boos.
Lead singer Scott Weiland offered a brief apology and an exuberant stage presence, performing the group's most popular songs such as Plush, Vasoline, and Creep.
Although many people thought it was going to be a no-show concert, the fans who did wait the two hours got what they came for – quality rock music and an inspiring performance by the STP. The band steered clear of flashy pyrotechnics and stuck to simple coloured lights, letting the music speak for itself.
The Stone Temple Pilots are an American band, consisting of lead vocalist Weiland, Eric Kretz on drums, Dean Deleo playing guitar, and Robert Deleo on bass. The band formed in 1986 and became famous for their 1993 album Core.
STP is claimed to be one of the most commercially successful bands from the 90s, known for a sound ranging from grunge to classic rock. Their music is comparable to Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters, and STP has said in previous interviews that they are inspired by country music and lyricists like Bob Dylan. Scott Weiland also played for the supergroup Velvet Revolver, which included famous members such as Slash, guitarist for Guns 'N Roses.
The Stone Temple Pilots have produced five successful albums, all containing hits, and selling millions of copies world-wide.
Their next scheduled performance is in Las Vegas. For more information on the band, visit www.stonetemplepilots.com.